Embracing Challenge

Dearest Goddesses,

Wow. I must have been channeling something when I picked these cards months ago - every single one seems to speak to exactly where I am at the moment (or what I don't want to deal with!) This week is the Sphinx representing challenge and boy can I relate! First of all, I am dealing with the challenge of sharing a computer with John – who likes to be in command - as well as facing my procrastination - and so I’m sorry my emails have been a bit sporadic lately!

The first thing I thought of after reading this week’s goddess was a story I heard years ago about a man who found an emperor moth cocoon and brought it into his house to watch the moth emerge. The man watched as the moth began to inch out of it’s cocoon – it seemed to be struggling so much that the man decided to help it by cutting open the cocoon and allowing the moth to emerge easily. The moth did emerge easily, but it’s body was swollen and the wings were shriveled and after a few hours, the moth died. The man did not realize, that the struggle that the Emperor moth goes through to get out of it’s cocoon actually gives the moth the ability to fly – the struggle pushes the fluids out of its body and provides the necessary nutrients for the wings to become strong so that when it does emerge – it is ready to fly. By “helping” the moth in its struggle, the man actually took away the moth’s ability to fly.

I like to look at challenge this way. Of course, that is only after I’ve gained some perspective from going through it and facing the challenges head on. When I’m in the struggle – when I’m fighting the challenge – then I just want it to be over with and am usually dying for someone to come and cut my cocoon! The key to challenge is to keep in mind all of the other struggles that we have gone through in the past – and all we have learned from them. I think of times in my past when I remember things seemed completely insurmountable – and today they are barely a blip on my radar. Time always helps with that perspective – but it is important that we do not face challenge with blindfolds on – with our eyes shut tight just waiting until the storm passes. I came across a quote the other day that I know I’ve shared with you in the past – “Serenity is not freedom from the storm, but peace within it.”

The challenges will pass eventually – you have seen the ups and downs of life to know that – and there will be more challenges in your future. It’s up to you whether these challenges will beat you down – whether they will become evidence for how sucky your life is – or if they will simply be homework in the giant school called life. As the Sphinx says - "every challenge is there to serve you - or not. It's your choice."

Patty’s Challenge: A couple months ago, I started a list called “Benefits to the delays in our funding.” I was able to come up with about 20 or 30 items for that list which provided me with some perspective for the situation. It didn’t change the situation – the challenge is still one that we are in – but it helped me face it head on – it helped me come up with other business ideas – I began to think outside the box.

Start your list with a challenge that you are experiencing right now – Benefits to and fill in the blank. Keep the list with you – add to it without editing. See what you come up with.

Love to you,

Patty